China counts on megadam economic stimulus
Chinese Premier Xi Jinping is banking on the massive infrastructure project, with demand for materials and workers, to revive the slowing economy and consolidate Beijing’s hold on its restive regions
CHINA
TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION
ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Disputed border
ASSAM
NEPAL
STEEL
BHUTAN
INDIA
MYANMAR
200km
125 miles
Cascade dams inside mountain
Elevation change 2,000m
50km
COST
Medog
$167bn
Three Gorges Dam
$37bn
MATERIALS
CONCRETE
Medog
90-150 million cubic metres
50m tons cement, 250m tons sand and aggregate
Three Gorges
30m m3
Hoover Dam
U.S.
2.5m m3
STEEL
Medog
6 million tons
Empire State Building
52,000 tons
COPPER
500,000 tons
Sources: Bloomberg, Reuters, BBC
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